- Old Town: The historic heart of Albuquerque, Old Town is home to the San Felipe de Neri Church, founded in 1706. The plaza is surrounded by shops and restaurants, and several museums are nearby. To get the most out of your visit, take the guided walking tour that starts at the Albuquerque Museum.
- Sandia Peak Tram: The top of Sandia Peak is almost a mile above the city, accessible by the world's longest aerial tramway (2.7 miles). It's a long ride up, and excited people always seem to need a bathroom. Go before you start. To get the best views, stand on sides or on the uphill end going up. Get near the door in the waiting area so you can get on first and choose your spot quickly. Bring a jacket, too. It will be cold at the top, up to 30 degrees cooler than at the base.
- Pueblo Indian Center: To get acquainted with Native American culture, visit the Pueblo Indian Center. Operated by the All-Indian Pueblo Council, representing 19 tribes, the center has some excellent cultural and artistic displays. The highlight here is the native dances and ceremonies presented on weekends. Not only can you photograph them (which is forbidden at most "real" ceremonies at the pueblos), but you can also learn more about their meaning.
- Route 66: The famous route is now Central Avenue, and the Nob Hill District preserves some of its best sights. For photographers, the old neon signs along the route can provide hours of pleasure, day or night. At the Route 66 Diner, waitresses still wear handkerchiefs behind their name tags, you can get a real ice cream milk shake, and dishes include the "Pile Up," a strangely tasty pile of potatoes, green chile, cheese and more.
- Petroglyph National Monument: One of the country's best collections of rock inscriptions is located just outside of the city. You can find 17,000 petroglyphs in the park, and many are easily visible from walking trails leading from the parking lots.
- Natural Science Museum: The Natural Science Museum was one of my favorite stops on a recent visit. It has it all: a comet-killer ride, a planetarium and a collection of dinosaurs that includes one the size of a small airplane hovering over the main area. Allow about a half day to see and do everything. For the little ones, their rental strollers look like small dinosaurs. What child could resist?
- New Mexico Ghost Tours: This tour of Old Town is the creepiest ghost tour I've been on. Guide Cody Polston spends most of his time trying to debunk ghost sightings, and if he can't explain the things he talks about, that makes them all the more creepy. Add recordings that may be the voices of the dead and photographs of possible paranormal activity. and this tour makes for a spine-chilling good time.
Albuquerque's Top Sights
By Betsy Malloy, About.com
These are some of Albuquerque's most popular tourist sights:
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